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THE IMPACT OF THECORONAVIRUS ONGLOBAL HIGHEREDUCATIONExclusive QS survey data reveals how prospective international students andhigher education institutions are responding to this global health emergency
II The Impact of the Coronavirus on Global Higher Education
Contents
Introduction 1
How are students responding to the coronavirus crisis? 2
� How the coronavirus has impacted study plans 2
� How students feel about changes in educational delivery and the rise of online learning 6
� What students want to hear from universities during this crisis 6
How are institutions responding to this global health emergency? 8
� What challenges are institutions facing during this crisis? 8
� What tactics have universities adopted in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak? 9
� How universities are embracing online learning 9
� How universities are addressing student recruitment 10
� How universities are shifting their student mobilities and international partnerships 12
� How universities are communicating with international students 12
� How universities are rethinking their crisis management plans 13
Conclusion 15
About QS 16
https://www.qs.com/contact/ 1
Introduction
The global higher education landscape has dramatically
changed in the past few months due to the spread of the
coronavirus (otherwise known as COVID-19).
To inform and support the higher education sector,
QS established ongoing surveys to take the pulse of
prospective international students and higher education
institutions throughout this crisis.
Our prospective international student survey has
attracted approximately 11,000 respondents since it
was established in mid-February.
In this white paper, we’ll explore the findings of this survey
and showcase how these responses have shifted over
time as the coronavirus continues.
An accompanying survey that targeted higher education
professionals in universities across the globe has attracted
more than 400 respondents.
We’ll explore these findings, including the impact on
student recruitment, online learning offerings, campus
management, and a range of other areas.
Please read on to discover these insights and discover
how the higher education sector is adapting to this new
normal we’re all facing.
By monitoring the disruption that the coronavirus is causing to prospective
international students we hope that our latest research can help institutions plan more clearly for the next academic year.
The data still suggests that the impact of coronavirus is likely to be an issue of
timing, it is therefore vital that universities remain flexible on application deadlines
and start dates during this uncertain period.
It’s our priority to provide institutions with the most up-to-date information
possible as the situation evolves. We hope that our insights will allow universities to mitigate the worst impacts of the virus on their students and staff as we continue to play our role as a responsible partner to
the higher education sector.
- Nunzio Quacquarelli, CEO of QS
2 The Impact of the Coronavirus on Global Higher Education
How are students responding to the coronavirus crisis? Students across the higher education sector have been dramatically impacted by the spread of the coronavirus, from
travel restrictions to social distancing, isolation measures, quarantines, campus closures, and border closures.
In mid-February, QS introduced an ongoing survey of prospective international students to understand how they were
responding to the global health emergency, and how this changed over time.
Below, we’ve detailed the trend data around changes in prospective international student decision making and what
this means for your institution.
How the coronavirus has impacted study plans
In our survey of prospective international surveys, we asked respondents whether the coronavirus had impacted their
plans to study abroad. Here are the total percentages across the life of the survey:
46%
29%
25%
Yes No Don't know
Each week, we examined how these responses shifted as the crisis escalated.
Below, it’s clear that more and more respondents have changed their plans to study abroad as a result of the coronavirus.
Interestingly, the week of the 13-19th of March saw the biggest dip in those respondents who said their study plans
hadn’t been impacted and the biggest rise in those who said they had.
It’s also the point at which greater numbers of students faced growing uncertainty about their travel plans, with a
significant increase in those who claimed they ‘don’t know’ whether the crisis has affected them personally.
https://www.qs.com/contact/ 3
This significant shift is probably due to the fact that this week saw the number of cases and deaths grow at its fastest
rate, demonstrating a dramatic escalation of the coronavirus.
Has the coronavirus impacted your plans to study abroad: Shifts in answers over time
27% 27% 29%34%
50%57%
60% 61% 57% 50% 16%
14%
13% 11% 14% 16%
34%29%
14-20th Feb 21st-27th Feb 28th Feb-5th Mar 6-12th Mar 13-19th Mar 20-26th Mar
Yes No Don't know
QS also asked prospective international students how the coronavirus had changed their plans to study abroad, whether
they had deferred entry to next year, decided to study in a different country, no longer planned to study overseas,
other reasons, or none of these.
47%
13%
8%
13%
19%
I now intend to defer my entry until next year I now intend to study in a different country
I now no longer want to study overseas Other
None of these
4 The Impact of the Coronavirus on Global Higher Education
Understandably, these responses also shifted significantly over time. See below for the trend data:
39%
35%
44%
54%
43%
52%
29%
38%
17%
14%
8%8%
11%9%
22%
14%
9%
6%
12% 12%
6%
12%
25%
20%
14-20th Feb 21st-27th Feb 28th Feb-5th Mar 6-12th Mar 13-19th Mar 20-26th Mar
I now intend to defer my entry to next year I now intend to study in a different country
I now no longer want to study overseas None of these
Prospective international students were also asked why the coronavirus had impacted their plans to study abroad, in
their own words.
Many spoke about travel restrictions; university closures; flight cancellations; difficulties with obtaining scholarship
interviews, visa applications, or language tests; exam cancellations or postponements; and health concerns.
Below is a selection of the responses from prospective international students:
“Because of COVID-19, many of the exams that I needed, in order to apply, were cancelled or
rescheduled. So, I missed the opportunity to study abroad.”
“My family member is in quarantine, which is why I won’t be able to accept and pay on time so I
will need an extension on my offer letter.”
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“All institutions are closed, and travel is banned. Admissions are affected and my current degree is also put on hold.”
“I am unwilling to pay deposits now for the study year of 2020/2021 because I am worried that the coronavirus will not be over and that all classes will be online. I don't want to pay thousands to
only get online tuition. I am also unable to book flights in this uncertainty.”
“COVID-19 has spread across the globe and so the airlines have stopped the incoming and
outgoing of passengers of all countries. My family is now scared to send anyone anywhere, be it a foreign nation or just a trip to the grocery store! I'm now sticking to online study platforms for my
studies.”
“I am afraid of going abroad nowadays. The world is going to face an economic collapse. So,
education could become costly. That would be unbearable for my middle-class family, as well as for me. Almost every country has stopped taking foreign students. That will create a long line of scholarship candidates. That scares me because I don't have extraordinary result or merit. All I
have is the mentality of hard work and a dream to do something.”
“Because of the coronavirus, my GMAT test was cancelled. Not sure when or how I can complete the test. Not sure whether I can apply to the shortlisted universities on time, or whether I can make
it out to get my F1 visa.”
“I don’t know when the borders are going to be open again.”
“The coronavirus is spreading too fast in nearby countries. My parents are scared to send me
abroad.”
These quotes demonstrate the many fears and concerns that prospective international students have. Universities need
to work quickly to allay these concerns and answer some of these pressing questions, particularly around flexibility with
application deadlines and funding.
6 The Impact of the Coronavirus on Global Higher Education
How students feel about changes in educational delivery and the rise of online learning
As the crisis continued, QS added a question to the survey about whether prospective international students would be
interested in studying their degree online due to the coronavirus.
As of the 26 March, 58% of prospective international students expressed some interest in studying their degree online
due to coronavirus restrictions, while only 42% stated that they had no interest in studying online.
Additionally, 51% of prospective international students surveyed said that they expected universities to move more of
their lectures online.
QS recently interviewed currently enrolled Italian university students to understand their perspectives on online learning
under quarantine.
Sveva, a third-year languages student at the University of Turin, says the university was quick to impose strict measures,
including suspending classes and closing libraries.
She said: “I think [university staff] are doing the best they can. PowerPoints, course summaries, pre-recorded lectures are all
very effective ways to help.”
“In my case, because I study languages, I was given different translations to do at home, and now instead of turning them in
in class, I send them to my lecturers via email and they send them back to me graded. It’s a very efficient system.”
What students want to hear from universities during this crisis
When discussing what messaging and communications students want to see from universities, Umberto, a fifth-year
medical student at the University of Bologna, believes that universities can play an important role during this crisis.
“I think that universities need to keep communication open with the students and give them adequate advice and reassurance
during this difficult time. I also think they have a duty to share important scientific information with faculty and students, who
in turn can inform their families. The real solution to this virus is behavioral change, and schools need to educate people as
much as possible.”
Sveva states that clear communication is essential: “I expect my university to give us more information on exams and
graduation procedures. However, I also know this whole situation is new to everyone, and no one really knows how to properly
face it. They’re doing the best they can.”
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In the QS survey of prospective international students, respondents were asked to rank which statements most reassured
them about the impact of the coronavirus:
9%
12%
19%
25%
57%
Other
Only around one in six of those who have thecoronavirus need treatment
Most sufferers of the coronavirus recover withoutneeding treatment
You only need to wear a face mask if you’re ill with coronavirus symptoms or caring for someone with the
disease
The best way to protect yourself from the coronavirus isto regularly wash your hands
When communicating with students, universities should keep these messages in mind and prioritize the ones that offer
the most reassurance to students.
Additionally, 52% of respondents believe that universities should set up at 24-hour helpline for students.
In the next section, we’ll explore how universities are communicating with students, changing their operations, and
responding to the continuing threat of the coronavirus.
8 The Impact of the Coronavirus on Global Higher Education
How are institutions responding to this global health emergency? Universities across the globe have been forced to close campuses and switch to online learning and digital tools in the
wake of the coronavirus.
QS is conducting an ongoing survey of higher education institutions to better understand how they’re responding to
this global health emergency.
By doing so, QS aims to share insights and lessons from universities across the globe and support those institutions
who are struggling in these uncertain times.
Read on to discover how universities are rethinking their educational offerings to better serve students and adapt to
this new normal.
What challenges are institutions facing during this crisis?
Universities are facing unprecedented challenges as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.
Many are struggling to navigate this crisis while maintaining consistent course delivery, ensuring strong student
recruitment numbers, and providing clear communication to staff and students.
As part of QS’s ongoing survey, we asked university representatives to share the biggest challenges facing their institution
right now.
Here are just a few of the responses we received:
“Keeping our current students, faculty, and staff safe and healthy while also trying to keep normal
operations running. We are also very concerned about enrollment for summer and fall.”
“The biggest challenge is not being able to know what information is true and what information is not. In addition living in a country like Honduras, where the health system is not trustworthy, it’s
difficult to say that our institution is ready for a crisis.”
“Our biggest challenge was how to move from traditional education to e-learning and how to
overcome the problem of practical courses and training.”
“The biggest challenges are continuity planning, communications, and uncertainty.”
https://www.qs.com/contact/ 9
“The impact on student numbers has been significant, which means that there's pressure to reallocate funding to address shortages that have arisen. There are also communication and distance study options issues that are creating ongoing problems as we iron out the details of who needs what
information or which resources.”
“Our biggest challenges are keeping students and staff safe and well; avoiding panic; maintaining educational progress with innovative educational solutions, like going online; the financial hit of fewer students and expenditures on coronavirus-related necessities; and keeping our international
students coming.”
What tactics have universities adopted in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak?
In the face of these challenges, universities have implemented a range of measures to adapt to this new normal.
To get an idea of what tactics they’d started to introduce, QS asked survey respondents if they’d implemented the
following measures:
50%Switched some of our scheduled courses
online
19%Delayed the start dates for some of our
courses until the following semester
17%Changed our application deadlines for our
next intake
16%Changed our offer acceptance deadlines for
our next intake
13%Deferred some of our 2020 offers to 2021
8%Started conducting our own English
language tests
2%Condensed pre-session English language
courses into the main degree
We’ll be exploring some of these tactics in further detail below.
How universities are embracing online learning
While 50% of the survey respondents had switched some of their scheduled courses online, this number is only set to
increase as the coronavirus continues.
As mentioned earlier in the white paper, 58% of prospective international students expressed some interest in studying
their degree online due to coronavirus restrictions, while only 42% stated that they had no interest in studying online.
10 The Impact of the Coronavirus on Global Higher Education
Additionally, 51% of prospective international students surveyed said that they expect universities to move more of
their lectures online.
To help universities across the globe, edtech companies like iTeach.world, Raftr, Aula, and Intergreat are offering remote
teaching tools and online platforms free of charge.
Jean-Pierre Guittard, CEO and founder of iTeach.world, states that: “The biggest challenge I’m seeing for some students
is internet bandwidth. So, everybody is being put online but, in some countries, and some areas, the internet just isn’t what it
should be for this type of thing. This is affecting some students’ and teachers’ experience.”
“I think what is going to change here is that schools are being forced to make the change that they need to make because in
the background there’s been this huge market shift where people have realized that we have these communication tools… This
is waking people up and making them modernize their approach to instruction.”
This sentiment is something that Robert Hsiung, China CEO of the online educational company EMERITUS, agrees with:
“The massive move to online is forcing the education system to figure out how to drive engagement at scale in their courses.
This has created a special window for us to leverage our experience in supporting these schools.
“I believe that the coronavirus will force educators to revolutionize the way they teach, moving from a lecture-listen model to
an interactive, learn-by-doing model. We are well suited to capture the wave.”
How universities are addressing student recruitment
Many of the challenges listed above mention the pressing concerns that university professionals have around hitting
student recruitment targets.
For many universities, international students bring much-needed revenue each year. With travel restrictions and
closed borders, universities are coming to terms with the fact that this revenue may be significantly reduced in the
next academic year.
In our QS survey, 50% of respondents believed that the coronavirus would have a detrimental impact on the number
of student applications they received at their institution.
In contrast, 26% thought the number of student applications would stay the same, 6% said they would increase, and
18% didn’t know what the impact would be.
To address these shifts in student recruitment, 34% of respondents were currently looking to diversify the source
countries which they relied on for recruitment purposes.
However, 30% of respondents were still considering this change, 20% weren’t looking to diversify, and 16% didn’t know.
Institutions are considering a wide range of markets to expand their recruitment activities into: Brazil, Colombia, France,
India, Indonesia, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, Pakistan, Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Thailand,
Turkey, United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam are all mentioned as new territories.
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When asked what student recruitment activities had become more or less important as a result of the coronavirus,
institutions gave the following responses:
16%
24%
52%
70%
73%
75%
24%
30%
36%
19%
20%
17%
59%
45%
13%
10%
7%
8%
In-person events and fairs
Qualified one-to-one,in-person meetings
Lead generation
Qualified one-to-one,online meetings
Digital marketing
Digital events
More important Not applicable Less important
Unsurprisingly, digital and online methods are becoming more vital as the coronavirus forces students and institutions
to meet and communicate through digital means.
When discussing the language requirements for international students, 39% of institutions said they wouldn’t be admitting
students who hadn’t completed the required language tests, due to coronavirus restrictions.
In contrast, 17% stated that they would be admitting these students and 27% said they were still considering this change.
It’s been recently reported that more than 1,000 US institutions are now accepting language test results from the Duolingo
English Test (a language learning app), either as supporting evidence in conjunction with other English proficiency
measures or as stand-alone proof.
12 The Impact of the Coronavirus on Global Higher Education
How universities are shifting their student mobilities and international partnerships
The mobility of students and staff has clearly been impacted by the spread of the coronavirus.
International offices across the world are rapidly shifting operations as they adapt to a very different higher education
landscape.
According to our analysts, 52% of respondents said student mobilities were receiving more attention, 37% said there
had been no change, and 11% said they were receiving less attention.
Thankfully, locating and communicating with mobile students and staff is easy for most institutions with 28% stating
that it’s very easy, 42% saying it’s moderately easy, and only 8% admitting that it was moderately difficult.
When it comes to international partnerships, 44% of respondents said that they were receiving more attention, while
46% said there had been no change, and 11% said they were receiving less attention.
More than ever before, consistent, clear communication will be a critical component of any international partnership
in the months to come.
How universities are communicating with international students
Given the uncertainty many international students are facing right now, QS asked institutions how often they were in
contact with current international students with news or updates related to the coronavirus. These were the results:
39%
25%
17%
4% 4%
10%
A few times aweek
Daily or more Once per week Fortnightlyor less
We're not contactingour students
specifically about the coronavirus
Don't know
https://www.qs.com/contact/ 13
It seems that while the majority are frequently reaching out to international students with coronavirus-related updates,
some are missing out on key opportunities to inform and reassure their international students.
The majority of institutions are using email to communicate coronavirus updates (87%), while almost half are using
social media (44%), some are using phone calls (24%), and some are using WeChat (17%) for communications with
Chinese students.
When asked whether the satisfaction and retention of international students had been discussed in planning discussions
as a result of coronavirus, 25% said it had been, 36% said it hadn’t, and 39% didn’t know.
For those who had discussed the satisfaction and retention of international students, many emphasized the importance
of online learning tools, training those with limited English proficiency on these tools, reassuring international students,
and addressing their concerns promptly.
How universities are rethinking their crisis management plans
In conjunction with our ongoing survey of university representatives and their response to the coronavirus, QS also
initiated a survey of more than 300 academics and university professionals to better understand their approach to
crisis management.
Of the institutions surveyed, 73% have a crisis management plan, 25% don’t, and 2% didn’t know if their institution had
a plan.
When asked their opinion on the effectiveness of their institution’s crisis management plan, the responses varied:
13% 45% 32% 9% 1%
Extremely effective Very effective Moderately effective Slightly effective Not at all effective
This demonstrates that the majority of institutions understand the importance of crisis management, have implemented
a crisis management plan, and view it as effective (albeit for some they only see it as ‘moderately effective’). This will
only become more important as the current global health emergency continues.
Already, 85% of surveyed institutions had implemented crisis management strategies or plans to deal with the spread
of the coronavirus.
14 The Impact of the Coronavirus on Global Higher Education
When asked for their thoughts on the higher education sector’s approach to crisis management and the coronavirus,
many respondents emphasized the importance of:
� Online learning
� International coordination and collaboration
� Proactive, preventative measures
� Strong university leadership
� Flexibility for assessment deadlines and exams
� Stricter sanitation initiatives
� Clear communication from university leadership and administrators
One engineering professor in the US stated that: “Higher education should lead the way in showing a calm and measured
approach to crisis management while remaining decisive and effective without minimizing or dismissing credible risks.”
An administrator and functional manager in China had this to say: “Higher education institutions are quite vulnerable in the
face of such a crisis like the coronavirus, as most universities are big community groups that once affected will lead to great
spreading. However, with the support of the internet and related technologies, it gives universities a chance to reconsider how
to actively use technology to develop their courses via online methods.”
Finally, an Australian research specialist had this to say: “Institutions are always poor at working up likely scenarios and tend
to be reactive rather than prepared. Many Australian institutions responded to the coronavirus pandemic by putting courses
online - and this may, or may not, have resulted in quality educational materials. The motivation was generally associated
with the income that may be lost if students did not continue their engagement with their courses, rather than the well-being
of the students.”
As the coronavirus crisis continues, it will be up to institutions to continually review and improve their crisis management
strategies and initiatives.
It’s important to remember that flexibility and the ability to quickly adapt to changing crisis conditions will serve higher
education institutions well in the coming months.
https://www.qs.com/contact/ 15
Conclusion
While these are uncertain times, universities can
continuously strive to deliver high quality teaching and
consistent communication to students.
To do so, it’s imperative that institutions listen to students’
needs and concerns and leverage the latest technological
tools.
Our ongoing QS surveys and research will aim to support
institutions in this endeavor and provide them with the
most up-to-date insights on what their peers are doing
and how students are responding.
Consistently adapting to this new normal will be crucial in
the months to come and QS is determined to partner with
institutions during this crisis.
Please reach out to the QS team at https://www.qs.com/
contact if you have any questions or concerns.
For any media queries, please contact
16 The Impact of the Coronavirus on Global Higher Education
About QS
QS Quacquarelli Symonds is the world’s leading provider of services, analytics, and insights to the global higher education
sector. Our mission is to enable motivated people anywhere in the world to fulfil their potential through educational
achievement, international mobility, and career development.
Our QS World University Rankings portfolio, inaugurated in 2004, has grown to become the world’s most popular source
of comparative data about university performance. Our flagship website, www.TopUniversities.com – the home of our
rankings – was viewed 149 million times in 2019, and over 94,000 media clippings pertaining to, or mentioning, QS were
published by media outlets across the world in 2019.
QS portfolio
� QS Digital and Events provides prospective undergraduate, graduate, and MBA applicants with independent
guidance throughout their search and decision making. Our world-class digital platforms include TopUniversities.
com, TopMBA.com, and QSLeap.com which support search and inform applications to programs matching their
profile and aspirations. In parallel, prospective students can meet, either virtually or face-to-face, with admissions
officers of international universities and business schools. For universities and business schools, it offers effective
and innovative digital and off-line student recruitment and branding solutions.
� QS Enrolment Solutions supports higher education institutions to maximize their student recruitment with a range
of specialist services, from data-driven insights and high-quality lead generation to optimized communications
and student conversion. With over 20 years of experience QSES has an unequalled understanding of international
student decision-making. Our international office locations (UK, Romania, India, Malaysia and Australia) enable us
to operate across time zones to deliver high value to our partners and exceptional services for applicants.
� The QS Intelligence Unit is a leading originator of institutional performance insight drawing on unique proprietary
datasets gathered in pursuit of its published research. Best known for the widely referenced QS World University
Rankings, today comprising variants by discipline and geography, the unit also operates a sophisticated, multi-
dimensional quality standard; a comprehensive analytics platform facilitating advanced benchmarking; and an in-
demand consulting team. Our insights both inform and are informed by frequent presence and digital conferences
for educators, university leaders, and policy makers.
� QS Unisolution is dedicated to developing SaaS technology solutions to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of
international mobility, relations, and recruitment functions within education, positively impacting the educational
experience for the students, staff, and partners we serve.
For more information about the QS services, please contact [email protected]
https://www.qs.com/contact/ 17
To continue empowering motivated individuals and institutions across the world alike during the coronavirus outbreak,
QS’s response has included:
� Moving its student recruitment events online, ensuring that universities and talented potential applicants across the
world are still able to achieve high-quality personalized engagement.
� Expanding its range of digital marketing offerings, empowering student recruitment teams as they seek to maintain
outreach and enrolment efforts.
� Launching a webinar series designed to enable university faculty and administrators alike to share best practices as
they transition their educational offerings into the virtual classroom.
� Ongoing surveys of prospective students and institutions globally to analyze how the COVID-19 crisis is impacting them.
In 2019, as part of our commitment to sustainability, QS became a certified CarbonNeutral® Company, reflecting our
efforts to reduce our impact on the environment through a range of efficiency initiatives and offsetting unavoidable
emissions through a verified carbon offset forestry project in Brazil.
